There are many examples, some of which are provided herein, where the applicant believes it to be beneficial to provide a tensile load bearing, electrically insulating, flexible isolation member which is weather resistant. One example, already mentioned, is for use in replacing, or what applicant refers to as reconductoring or restringing of power line conductors or static wires respectively. Other examples may include the use of the flexible isolation member in a sling line under a helicopter, for example when used to suspend a lineman from the helicopter for power line maintenance work.
Overhead power lines may typically use one or more conductors, or phases, to transmit electricity within an electricity transmission grid. The overhead power lines may be used for bulk transmission of electricity from a power plant to centers of high demand and for distribution within the centers of high demand. The conductors are often supported above the ground by support structures such as poles or towers. Over time the energized transmission lines, referred to herein as energized conductors, may be exposed to harsh weather conditions or become overloaded. Deteriorated or overloaded conductors are replaced by reconductoring.
Static wires may be strung above the conductors to shield the energized conductors from lightning strikes. Occasionally the static wires, which may be conventional static wires or otherwise may be referred to as overhead ground wire, shield wire, earth wire, etc., or which may be optical ground wire (OPGW), collectively referred to herein as static wire, must also be replaced in a process referred to as restringing. During the reconductoring or restringing process it is often advantageous to use pulling wire instead of pulling rope because the pulling rope may burn, melt, heat-and-break or otherwise fail if moist and/or dirty when exposed to a high voltage environment. Also pulling tensions for transmission conductors is above rope rating. A high voltage environment occurs when pulling conductors or static wire because each may be subjected to a significant induced voltage due to proximity to one or more high voltage energized conductors, for example carrying 69 kV or more. The use of pulling wire advantageously necessitates the use of a flexible, electrically isolating link between the pulling wire and the conductor or static wire that is to be replaced, so as to electrically insulate the conductive pulling wire from the energized, induced or potentially energized, conductor or static wire.